CVE-2023-0880 in phpmyfaq
Summary
by MITRE • 02/17/2023
Misinterpretation of Input in GitHub repository thorsten/phpmyfaq prior to 3.1.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0880 represents a misinterpretation of input within the thorsten/phpmyfaq repository, affecting versions prior to 3.1.11. This issue stems from inadequate validation and sanitization of user-provided data during processing within the phpMyFAQ application. The flaw exists in the application's handling of input parameters that are not properly validated before being used in subsequent operations, creating a potential avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted input sequences. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and falls under the broader category of input sanitization failures that can lead to various security consequences including data manipulation and unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when the application processes user-supplied data without sufficient validation checks, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads or manipulate expected data flows. In the context of phpMyFAQ, this misinterpretation can occur during form submissions, URL parameter processing, or API interactions where the application fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming data before using it in database queries or other operations. The vulnerability exploits the application's trust in user input without proper verification mechanisms, enabling potential attackers to bypass intended security controls through carefully crafted inputs that exploit the lack of proper input validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0880 extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially enable more serious security consequences including unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious code, manipulate database entries, or gain elevated privileges within the application environment. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to data breaches, service disruption, or unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the phpMyFAQ system. Organizations using affected versions face significant risk as the vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including web application penetration testing, automated scanning tools, or manual exploitation attempts that target the input handling mechanisms within the application.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0880 focus primarily on updating to the patched version 3.1.11 or later, which implements proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Security teams should also implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls, input validation rules, and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should involve thorough testing of all input handling mechanisms, implementation of proper parameter validation, and establishment of secure coding practices that align with industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect anomalous input patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all user inputs are properly escaped or encoded before processing to prevent injection attacks that could leverage this vulnerability.